Blackjack Bob is on a roll and is doing so at the tail end of his career. The 8-year-old gelding won the Independence Day Classic on Sunday at the Randall "Doc" James Racetrack for his fifth win in a row and his eight in nine starts.
This time, though, he had to re-rally nearing the wire to just get by a surprising Temo’s Dream, who ran one of his best races since coming to St. Croix. Blackjack Bob negotiated the 1-1/8 miles distance over a sloppy track in 1:56.
At the break, as expected, Green Sand was quickest out of the gates and took the field by the grandstand for the first time, followed closely by Temo’s Dream and Expect Smoke, with Blackjack Bob bringing up the rear.
As the field made their way into the backstretch, stable mates Blackjack Bob (with Jockey Edwin Gonzales in the irons) and Expect Smoke (with Sunday Diaz aboard) made a move for the front, which bunched the horses for about a furlong.
As the group approached the 3/8 markers, a tiring Green Sand began to fade, and then the other three rushed by.
As the horses turned for home, most of the fans in the stands were on their feet because they realized that Temo’s Dream was running a huge race and the stable mates were going to have fight to win this one.
Prerace favorite Expect Smoke was not going as expected, but Blackjack Bob and Temo’s, with Winston Hurst in the irons, were both going well. Blackjack Bob had the advantage as they ran down the stretch, but Temo’s Dream made a run on the outside, took the lead and looked like he would cruise to victory.
However, the old man had other ideas, and to the delight of the cheering fans, he found another gear to run by Temo’s Dream just before the wire. Expect Smoke held on for third with Green Sand a distant fourth.
The 1-1/16 mile fifth race for mares and fillies was another one for the ages as the top mare in the Virgin Islands, Finish in Style, was upset by Leggy Blonde in a time of 1:48 over the sloppy track.
Leggy Blonde and jockey Angel Viera collared Finish in Style and jockey Sunday Diaz in mid-stretch and edged away for a one-length victory. Finish in Style just managed to hold off a fast-closing Whoshotthesheriff for second.
Tragically, the race also saw the death of a very talented mare in Flankers Lady, who collapsed and died at the top of the stretch.
The rest of the day’s results:
Race1 5 F Classes N-5 & N-6, Jockey
Time: 1:02.2
1. Midnight Approval, Christian Soto
2. Gold Finger, Alphonso Claudio
3. Joe Boss, Elmo Barnes
Race2 7 ½ F Classes I-4 & I-5 (M/F) & I-6 (C/G), Jockey
Time: 1:38
1. Paul’s Gift, Elmo Barnes
2. Separate Bill, Alphonso Claudio
3. MJ Kailahsafe, Jesus Guadelupe
Race3 7 ½ F Class I-4 (M/F), Jockey
Time: 1:35
1. Sarasota May Bell, Winston Hurst
2. Destiny Arrival, Sunday Diaz
3. YIMC Sword, Juan Santiago
Race4 7 ½ F Class I-4, Jockey
Time: 1:35
1. Akebono, Christian Soto
2. Bruno’s Burst, Sunday Diaz
3. San Viron, Jesus Guadelupe
Race6 1-1/16 M “Emancipation Day Classic, Jockey
Time: 1:50.1
1. Creation Rebel, Edwin Gonzalez
2. Irie Ites, Christian Soto
3. Midnight Indictment, Winston Hurst
Race8 1 M Class I-5, Jockey
Time: 1:43
1. Black Machine, Alberto Ojeda
2. Wekiva Trail, Angel Viera
3. Itsmidas, Winston Hurst
